


How to Talk to the Stars

by AwkwardBundle



Category: Original Work
Genre: Flash-Fiction, Gen, Original work - Freeform, numbered list
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-26
Updated: 2017-12-26
Packaged: 2019-02-20 15:07:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13149231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AwkwardBundle/pseuds/AwkwardBundle
Summary: Listen to Mom's stories when you are little. Let them fill your head with magical worlds and fantastic creatures.





	How to Talk to the Stars

1\. Listen to Mom’s stories when you’re little. Let them fill your head with magical worlds and fantastic creatures.  
2\. Hear Dad talk about his research on stars. Combine those facts with Mom’s stories and make the stars alive.  
3\. Take in as much media about stars as you can. Fill your room with as many posters, movies, books, stuffed toys, and stickers as you can.  
4\. When Dad laughs and says stars can’t talk, ignore him and listen to Mom’s story about a boy who loved a flower and collected stars.  
5\. When Mom and Dad fight, lay out in the back yard and look up at the night sky.  
6\. Drown out their shouts by making new constellations and stories to go with the old ones.  
7\. Flinch when you hear a door slam, but relax when the back door opens softly and Mom comes and lays down next to you.  
8\. Listen to her stories made to cheer you up, and tell her yours. Watch as she smiles and laughs and make up some more.  
9\. Do this every night for the next two weeks.  
10\. When Dad packs his bags, reassures you that it’s not for forever, and then leaves, tear down some of the scientific posters in your room in anger.  
11\. Put them back up the next day in remorse.  
12\. Listen to Mom’s stories.  
13\. Answer every phone call from Dad, even as they go from once a day to once a week, month, three months, until they stop altogether.  
14\. Listen to Mom’s stories.  
15\. Accept the gifts he sends at Christmas and on birthdays, but put anything star related into a box labeled “Later.”  
16\. Listen to Mom’s stories. Don’t forget them.  
17\. When Mom’s late from work one day, don’t worry. She just got hung up on paperwork.  
18\. Don’t worry until the sun starts to set, and she’s still not home.  
19\. Go into the back yard, see the stars, and make up stories about her going up there and meeting them in person, talking to them, getting souvenirs for you for when she finally gets home.  
20\. Forget those stories as soon as the police come knocking on your door.  
21\. Don’t think “She wasn’t supposed to actually meet the stars so soon.” when you hear about the car crash, the impact, the painlessness of her death.  
22\. Don’t tell them about your dad. Your almost an adult, you say. You can handle yourself.  
23\. Go out every night for the next month and remember her stories. When the stars blur from tears, make up more stories to go with hers.  
24\. One night, a month after the wreck, two weeks after the funeral, three days after a short phone call from the man you haven’t seen in four years that simply consisted of “I’m sorry,” stay inside.  
25\. Don’t go outside for another week.  
26\. Graduate high school with tears in your eyes and no one to wipe them away.  
27\. Pack up your star memorabilia in a box labeled “College” and rent the house out to your friends staying in state.  
28\. On your last night, lay back outside and be quiet. Don’t make up stories, but listen and watch.  
29\. When the stars wink at you, think about how they were once alive to you, and hope that they are again.  
30\. Be quiet and still, listen and watch.  
31\. Hear Mom’s stories in the twinkling of the stars.

**Author's Note:**

> This was a flash fiction I wrote for a competition, and I really liked it! I decided to share it here, and I hope y'all enjoyed!


End file.
